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A SKETCH 



OF THK 



liirV* \^1> lP131ililC HrilV\li¥lS 



OF 



^if!^i>^. 




MEJ^IIY CI.AY. 

Bfj ''Oliver Oldsrhool,'" (N. Sargeant, Esq. of Pliiladelphia.) 



MR. CLAY'S EARLY HISTORY. 

It is given to but few men to interweave tlieir 
own actions and principles with the transactions 
of their country, to exercise such a controlling 
influence upon public men and public measure.*, 
as to make their own a part of the history of 
ibeir couutry. Fortunate, indeed, would it be 
for the nation, if her masterspirits were actuated 
by that nohle ambition which se^ks to promote 
her happiness and prosperity; which strives to 
perpetuate freedom and the biessins^ that flow 
irom a government uf laws administered with 
wisdom and integrity ; and which has iis highest 
reward in me contemplation of a people uiiiied, 
prosperoiis, and contented; and in the verdict of 
" well done. £»ood and faithful servant." 

K.vceptin^ Mr. Adams, who has been lonspr 
upon the stage of life, no man of the present age 
has taken a more active and prominent part in 
the public all'airs of this country, than IIknrv 
Ci.AT. For more than ihiriy years lip has stood 
before the nation as an orator, unrivalled; as a 
statesman of extraordinary sagacity, forecast and 
energy ; as a man of eminent lalenis, generous, 
high-souled sentiments, of the strictest honor and 
integrity, and the chit alrous Iriend of universal 
Ireedom. His name has become familiar to the 
lips of the American peoplw *' as hotiseliold 
words," his policy ideniiiied wiili the prosperity, 
and his fame the property of the nation. 
1 



HIS BIRTH PLACE AND PARE.\TAGE. 

Hanover county. Virginia, has the honor of 
being the birth- place of his nativity. He was 
born'on the i2lh of April, 1777. By ilie death 
of his faih^-r, a Baptist clergyman, in 178L he 
was left an orplian boy; poverty his only inhe- 
ritance. Providence liis protector and guide. He 
was, however, blessed with a mother,who com- 
bined a sound understanding with kind and 
amiable feelings. •' I knew her well," said a 
distinguished gentleman, now in the Senate of 
the United Stales; " I knew her well, when a 
boy, and used to love to go to her house; she 
was an excellent woman ; so kind, so indulgent, 
and always look such a motherly interest in the 
lads of her acquaintance ; nothing she had was 
loo good fur us, and mere was no stint to her 
measurement."— .Much as we admire Henry 
riav, the Orator. theSlaiesmaii. the distinguish- 
ed Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 
Minister Plenipotentiary, the Secretary of State, 
the grave and able Senator, the favorite of the 
people, yet do we love far more to dwell upon 
"the orphan boy," following the plough in the 
slashes of Hanover, and occasionally trudging 
his way to a distant mill, to provide bread for a 
widowed mother and )Ounger brothers and sis- 
ters. 

It is an evidence of the goodness of his heart, 
I'.ni. in ilip privacy of the domestic circle, siir- 



El^'VC 






is o^^'\ 



rounJed by those 10 whom he can unbosom him- the High Court of Chancery, in ihe city of 
telf nolhine m) deli^liis liim as to recur to the Richmond, without a guardian, desiuute ol pe- 
"^ " cuniary means of support, to sieer his course as 

he might or could." The education o( the poor 
has never been attended to in Virginia and other 



tcenes. the labors, the incidents, and the enjoy 
ments ol his boyhood; anecdotes of which he 
often relates with infinite humor and zest. This 
I'eeling gushed furth in his speech at Hanover, 
on the lOih of July, 1840, which he then visiicd 
for the first lime after many years' absence. On 
ihal interesting occasion, surrounded by nearly 



Southern States, in the manner its importance 
demands; but in those days there were less fa- 
cilities of acquiring a common school education, 
than at the present day. Circumstanced as 



the whole population of the county, who had young Harry was. he had few opportunities of 
assembled to welcome one of whom they had improving his mind by means ot instruction ; 
heard so much, and was so proud of as a native f..r him the "schoolmaster" was rarely "abroad, 
of their county, Mr. Clay said:—" I have come Usually the children of the wealthy were in- 
here to the county of my nativity, in the spirit strucied by private teachers brought into the fa- 
of a pil^aim. lo meet, perhaps fur the last time, mily ; hence the poor, unable thus to acquire an 



the companions and Ihe descendants of the com- 
panions of my youth. Wherever we roam, in 
whatever climate or land we are cast by the ac- 
cidents of human life, beyond ilie mountains or 
beyond the ocean, in the lecislative halls of the 
country, or in the retreats and shades ol private 
life, our hearts turn with an irresistible instinct 
to the cherished spot which ushered us into ex- 
istence. And we dwell with delightful associa- 
tions on the recollections of the streams in 



eilucaiion. were scantily supplied with the com- 
mon rudiments of learning. While in the High 
Court of Chancery he felt the want of that edu- 
cation of which poverty had deprived him. and 
availed himself of the opportunity to supply, as 
far as it was in his power to do so, his deficiency. 
But. if he owed little to the schoolmaster, he 
was deeply indebted to a bounteous Providence 
for an understanding clear and powerful, a dis- 
position social, lively, and winning, and a de- 



which. durinjT our boyish days, we bathed, and porimeni easy, manly, and impressive. It might 
the fountains at which we drank; the pine fields, with truth be said. 



the hills, and valleys where we sported, and the 
friends who shared the enjoyments with us. — 
Alas! too many of these friends of mine have 
gone whither we must all shortly go. and the 
presence liere of the small remnant left behind, 
attests both our loss and our early attachment. 
I would greatly prefer, my friends, to employ the 
time which this visit affords in friendly and fa- 
miliar conversation on the virtues of our depart 



" The elements 

?o mi.xM in him, that Nature might stand up 

And say to ail the world, " This is a man." 

Obscure, oppressed by poverty, unknown, with 

no I'riend to whom he could look for counsel or 

assistance ; there must have been moments, 

when the orphan felt all the loneliness of his 

situation ; and, with those inward longings and 

aspirations which a powerful mind could not but. 

, . „ 1 „!.,„„,. .r.:>c have occasionally prompted, he must have some- 

ei companions, and on ihe scenes and adventures i • j • i .. „f.„;,;. 

' * ', . , ,, ,. „,^,; „„.v,i^|, times exclaimed, in bitterness of spirit, 

of our younger days ; but the expectation wtucn ., .,, , . n i u jt oL,i;^ 

^ . ,' =; I ' . .. . 'i 1 . . "All! who can tell liow hard it is to tlir 
jirevails, and the stale of our beloved country, 

impose on me the obligation of touching on lo- 
|)ics less congenial with the feelings of my heart, 
but possessing hiaher public in'erest." 

The farm which had belonged lo his father 
was small, and its cultivation, which was con- 
tinued by his mother, with young Harry's assist- 
ance, fur several years after, afforded the family 
a scanty subsistence. But the labor performed 
on that piece of land, sterile as it was, undoubt- 
edly laid the foundation of that strong iuul vigor- 
ous constitution which has enabled Mr. Clay to 
perform such extraordinary lahor through a lone: 
life of professional and public service, and to 
presirve unimpaired his physical and mental 
vigor. It also pavp him a knowledge ol {arm- 
ing and a taste for rural occupations, which have 



imb 

The steep where Funio's pioud temple shines afar ; 
♦ ♦ • * » * 

Check'd by the gcotf of Pride, by Envy's frown, 

And Poverty's unconquerable bar !" 

But poverty in vain opposed to him her "bar." 
In the Chancery oflice he had occasionally to 
transact business with some of the most distin- 
guished men then at the Virginia bar. and on 
her bench. Henry Clay was not made to pass 
through the worhl unnoticed ; place him m a 
crowd of ihousands. and, though entirely un- 
known, his commanding manner and marked 
features would soon attract attention and inspire 
respect. He was no more designed by Provi- 
dence. 

" In life's low vales remote to pine alone, 

Then drop into the grave unpitied and unknown," 



grown with his giowih and have strenglheiu'd than a Civsar, a Napoleon. or a Chatham. Such 



with his years. "There is not." saul a geniie- 
iiian to me, who for many years had been his 
neighbor and friend, "there is not a betwr far- 
mer in the country than Mr. Clny ; and there is 
no belter judge of cattle. horse<. and stork geiie- 
rnlly ; nor one who manages his tafiu to better 
advantage." 

HE BFXOMF.S A CT.FrvK IX 'WW. OK- 
I'K'E OF THK COlUr OF fHANCFUV. 
Mrs day married again in I79'i. and lemoved 



master spirits do not sit down and pine, nor give 
way to despondency. They are as conscious of 
|)ower lo rise upon the strength of their own 
wing, and by their own unaided energies, as the 
eagle thai soars al'di in the hlue vault of heaven. 

ATTHAC^TS THE NOTICE OF CHAN- 
CELI.Ol^ WYTHE AND GOVERNOR 

BllOOKE— UEAl>S LAW. 
"i was his good fortune lo attract the notice 



and will Ihe Iriendshipof Chancellor Wythe and 
wiih her hush.ind to Keiiuuky, leaving Hpiirv. tiovernor Brooke, hy who've persuasion, at the 
" a boy of filteen \e:us of age. in the olfice of a^e of nineuen. he commenced the study ol law, 



and read cliiefly in ihe office of the latter, then 
Attorney General of the Stale, and under the 
auspices of the former, for whom he acted as 
private secretary. The friendship of these men 
ut eniiiient worth and abilities, he retained to the 
latest day ol their lives, — no slight evidence that 
he possessed a spirit and principles congenial 
with their own, and that they found in hini that 
which great and good men can admire. 

IS LICENSED TO PR.ACTICE BY THE 
JUDGES OF THE COURT OF APPEALS. 

Young Clay, for we must no longer call him 
" the orphan boy," was liceni'ed to practice law 
by the Judges of the Court of Appeals, in Vir- 
ginia, 1797. when he was but twenty years of 
age. He had now to select a place to locate 
himself: 

" The world was all before him, whero to choose, 

And Providence his guide." 

RE.MOVES TO LEXINGTON, KEN- 
TUCKY. 
His only surviving parent had been five years 
settled near Lexington, Kentucky, and it is pro- 
bable that filial affection had no little intluence 
in directing his steps to the U'e<l. That Siate 
was then new, and he doubtless saw a field 
where he could put in his plough and sickle, and 
gather a harvest. But, if he calculated on find- 
ing a bar destitute of able lawyers and eloquent 
advocates, he was much deceived ; for, new as 
the country wa."?, the bar at Le.xington, where he 
settled, was at that time distinguished for the 
eminent ability of its members. His aspirations 
were at this time, however, extremely moderate, 
for he has himself said that he remembered how 
comfortable he thought he should be if he could 
make i"IOO, ^'irginia money. ($333) a year ; and 
with what delight he received the first fifteen 
shilling fee! 

HE IS CHERISHED AS A SON. 
But Mr. Clay had no sooner appeared in one 
or two cases, than business flowed in upon him 
so rapidly, that in less than a year from his en- 
trance into the State, he had an extensive and 
lucrative practice. The people of Kentucky, 
proverbially warm hearted, generous, and sus- 
ceptible of strong emotions, love those who pos- 
sess the same qualities. Mr. Clay was a man 
after their hearts ; and at once they took him to 
their bosoms, and cherished him with as fond a 
, regard and as unalterable an attachment, as if 
he had been "to the manor born." He came 
to the State fatherless, penniless, and with the 
exception of the few he had left behind him, 
friendless. She proved to him a parent, friend, 
and benefactor; has he not repaid her with more 
than filial attachment? 

HIS E.ARLY CAREER AT THE BAR. 
His career at the bar was brilliant and success- 
ful. Possessing an intuitive knowledge of men, 
and master of the human passions, wnh a voice, 
at his bidding sweet as the silver-toned luie, or 
loud and powerful as the trumpet blast, alter- 
nately indulging in wit, irony, plensanirv. pa- 
thos, and indignation, — no wonder the heart was 
in his hands a pipe he could .vound from the 
lowest note to the top of its compass, and that 



liis innuence over juries was unprecedented and 
irresistible. But we have little to do with Henry 
Clay, the lawyer and the advocate: it is in a 
higher sphere of life we must now view him. 

1 have dwelt thus upou the early part of Mr. 
Clay's life, because, though less brilliant and 
less known than his public career, for one, I feel 
a stronger sympathy and love for " the orphaa 
hoy," in the russit garb uf poverty, following 
the plough, or sirugglmg, unaided and alone, at 
the age of fifteen, lor a scanty subsistence as an 
humble clerk, than I do I'ur the Statesman and 
Legislator. But it is as a public character Ihe 
people wish to know him. The youth may be 
interestinff to individuals, but the nation is only 
concerned in the man, his capacities, his labors, 
his principles, and his influence upon public 
measures. 

HE TAKES AN ACTIVE PART IN FA- 
VOR OF THE GRADUAL EMANCI- 
PATION OF SLAVES. 
As early as 1797, Mr. Clay took an active, and 
for so young a man, a prominent part in the 
questions which then agnated the people. One 
of these was the propriety of providing, by the 
Conslimiion then about to be formed, for the 
gradual emnncipation of the slaves, and the abo- 
lition of slavery in that Slate. In this contro- 
versy his pen. and his voice were enlisted in be- 
half of liberty. He looked upon slavery as an 
evil entailed upon the people, of which some 
measure ought to be adopted gradually to relieve 
the country. This advocacy of the emancipa- 
tion of the blacks, by a process intended to ac- 
complish it in a manner not injurious or unjust 
to those who held that species of property, ren- 
dered him for a time unpopular: the owners of 
slaves considering him inimical to their iwerests. 
Though his exertions in this philanthropic cause 
proved unavailing, yet he has ever adhered to 
the principles he then avowed, and endeavored 
to carry them out through the msans of the Co- 
lonization Society, of which be was one of ihe 
principal founders, and has been, since the death 
of the venerable Chief Justice Marshall, Presi- 
dent. His desire was. and has ever been, to do 
justice to the blacks, but nut injustice to the 
whites. 

HE OPPOSES THE ALIEN ANJ) SEDI- 
TION LAWS, AND BECO.MES PRO- 
MINENT. 
The next important question, in thediscussion 
of which be bore a prominent part, was one re- 
lating to the politics of the day , and upon which, 
he ranged himself with the Republican party. 
He took decided ground against the Alien and 
Sedition laws, and in favor of popular rights. — 
He considered these laws and other measures of I 
the elder Adams' administration as an in!ringc-[ 
ment of the lif)eriies of the people and the press, 
and he entered into the opposition to them with 
nn energy so indomitable, a zeal so ardent, an] 
eloquence so persuasire, and an ability so un- 
locked for, that notwithstanding his youth, hel 
became the master spirit of the Republican party] 
of Kentucky. 

J.* ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE.! 
Ill 1SU3, while absent, Mj. Clay was taken u^;j 



by fhp cjfi7Pns of Fnyeile couniy, without the 
least intimation of their intpntion having been 
comrminicaitd to him, and eieced to ihe Legis- 
lature, •.vherc he at once took rank with the first 
men in the State, not one of whom was his 
equal in talents, energy of character, or power 
of eloquence. 

IS ELECTED TO THE SENATE OF THE 
UNITED STATES. 
In ISOG, he was elected to the Senate of the 
United States for the iineNpired term, one year, 
of Gen. Adair, who had resigned his seat. Be- 
ing the youngest Senator, and a new member, 
he had of course, little opportunity of distin- 
guisiiing himself Npvertheless the people of 
the District of Columbia, and of Ale.xandria es- 
pecially, have occasion to remember him even 
then, for a very able speech he made in favor of 
the erection of a bridge over the Potomac, on 
the Alexandria road, and carrying the question 
for the frif'nds of this internal improvement. 
HE IS AGAIN ELECTED TO THE LE- 
GISLATURE. AND RENDERED IM- 
PORTANT SERVICES TO THE JURIS- 
PRUDENCE OF THE STATE. 
Mr. Clay was now again elected to the Legis- 
lature of his own State, and distinguished him- 
self by a powerful spe?ch against a resolution 
which had been introduced to prohibit the read- 
ing of any British decision or elementary work 
on law in the courts of Kentucky. This resolu- 
tion was the offspring of a narrow mind, and 
appealed to the prejudices of the ignorant; 
against which he had to contend. Bui the sub- 
ject was worthy ol his crrcat powers, and called 
forth Iron) him n masierlv speech. Perhaps 
none hut tlie bench and the bar can triilv appre- 
ciate the magnitude and importance ot the ques- 
tion, and tlie incalculable service he rendered the 
jurisprudence of the State, by deleating the reso- 
lution. Had hp sougiit popularity raihrr than 
the welfare of the State, lie would, on this occa- 
sion, have thrown himself into the current of 
prejudice* which he so successfully and nfibly 
resisted, and floated on its fallacious surface. — 
But thrn, as ever afterward, he stopped not to 
ask what cotir.-e was popular, but what was 
ri.iht. 

IS A SECOND TIME ELECTED TO THE 
SENATE OF THE UNITED STATE.S. 

In ISl/.l, he was again elected to the Senate 
of the United Stales for i{ie remainder of Mr. 
Tlirusion's time, two years. It was then that 
he nay be properly said to have commenced his 
brilliant career on that high stage of action upon 
which he stood conspicuous before ;lie nation, 
and Irinii vihich he vohiniarily retired on the 
31.M f.f March, I?'12. 

At the time Mr. Clav.l"r the second time, en- 
tered the Senate of the United Stales, the Eu- 
ropean powers were prosecuiing bloody wars 
apaiijsi each other. .Tcalnus of the peaceful cnn- 
ililion of the Uniieil States, and her growing 
prosperity, and perhap* pit^ued lliat Ihev could 
lint enlist her in their <iuarrel«. the belligeri nt 
powi rs fcemeil "o vie wnh eacli oilier in com- 
initiin? depredaiii-np upon her i-ommeree. niid 
II perpetratitii' the nio'i flagrant violation* of our 



neutral rights. Each did this, under pretence 
that we were aiding the other belligerent power 
by trading with her; but the pretence was as 
tiimsy as their conduct was insolent and unjus- 
tifiable. 

HIS SPEECH IN FAVOR OF ENCOUR- 
AGING AMERICAN MANUFACTURES. 
There was a disposition at this time in the 
American Congress to make preparation to re- 
pel these aggressions bv force, and with this 
view a bill was brought forward appropriating a 
sum of money for the purchase of munitions of 
war, including cordage and sail cloth. To this 
Mr. Clay moved an amendment, requiring the 
Government to give a preference to articles of 
c^Hierica/i growth and manufacture; and on this 
proposition addressed the Senate in favor of en- 
couragitii; doviestic manufactures, then first tak- 
ing ground in favor of, and warmly advocating, 
the great principle of the protective policy, to 
which he has, from that day to the present, firmly 
and undeviatingly adhered. 
OPPOSES THE RE-CHARTER OF THE 
FIRST U. S. BANK. 
Two other important questions came before 
ihe Senate while Mr. Clay was a member, and 
in which he bore a prominent part, namely : the 
claim of the United States lo West Florida as 
far as the Perdido river, which he supported ; 
and the re-charter of the first Bank of the United 
Stales, which he opposed. 
HE IS ELECTED TO THE HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES AND SPEAKER 

OF THAT BODY. 
Upon the close ot Mr. Clav's Senatorial term, 
he was, in the summer of ISll, elected to the 
House of Representatives of the United Slates, 
and on the first day of the session, and the first 
of his appearance in that body, was appointed 
Speaker; a circumstance unparalleled in tht* 
history of legislation. While he continued to 
occupy the Speaker's chair, which he did till 
1814, questions of the highest niomeni agitated 
Congress and the nation, and taxed the powers 
of the leading men of both political parties. 
ADVOCATES THE WAR U'lTH 
ENGLAND. 
The Government had exhausted every means, 
short of a resort to arms, to protect the properly 
of its citizens, and preserve its own rights ; but 
in vain. The only alternative* left was a declara- 
tion of war.or a ihameful submission to injuries 
heaped upon injuries. Mr. Clay's voice was for 
war. He felt indignant at the insults and inju- 
ries we had received from England, and thun- 
dered forth his indignation in tones that rever- 
berated along every hill and throiish every vnl- 
lev in the United Stales. " It is asked," said he, 
" what nrto cause of war have wc .' In reply. 
I will ask, what old cause of war is avenged ? 
Has Great Britain abstained from impressin? 
our seamen, and depredaiin? upon our properly? 
I have ill niv hnnd« an account of a recent cap- 
ture o( the ship Hannibal, worth, with ihe caroo, 
SSflO.tKXI, near our own cojsi. on a vnyaire to 
France. | have n>i doubt that the late Indian 
hostilities on the Wabash, were excited bv the 
British. Js not ihi< a cause of war 7 ' Such 



5 



appeals, frequenily maJe as ilu>y were, routed 
ihc spirit of (he nation ; ihe tire of patrioiisiu 
burned intensely in his bosom, and Trom its 
strong heat the flame lislited up throughout the 
wide extent of the land, but more especially 
west of the Alleghanies, and anionij our aallant 
naval tars. The declaration of" war, which was 
made on the 18lh June, ISl'^, found these pre- 
pared and buroiniT for the content, in which, ere 
lone, ihey won iinperishable glory. 

Tlie declaration of war iiad been violently op- 
posed in Congress, by sotae of the ablest men in 
the nation, with whom Mr. Clay triumphantly 
grappled. The war itself was opposed by a por- 
tion of the people, and this opposition greaily 
eajbarrassed and weakened the (jovcrnnieni. — 
Owing, perhsps, in some measure to this cir- 
cumstance, the American armies met wiih many 
reverses. But during the darkest liour of gloom, 
when the Government was almost without means 
or credit, and the troops had been disheartened 
by privation, suffering, and defeat, the voice of 
Mr. Clay reverberated from the Capitol, trum- 
pet-tongued, roused the drooping spiriis of the 
nation, nerved the arm of tlie soldier, and in- 
spired all with new ho()e, and energy, and pa- 
triotic ardor ; and he soon had the satisfaction to 
see victorv, wliich had long made the decks of 
our gallant little navy her favorite resting place, 
spread her wings over our army, apd perch upon 
its standard. 

HE IS APPOINTED OXF, OF THE AME- 
RICAN CO.M.MISSIOiXERS TO NEGO- 
TIATE PEACE. 

Id 1814, Mr. Clay was appointed by If.r. 
Madison, one of the commissioners to negotiate 
a treaiy with England His colleacues were 
John tiuincy Adams, James A. Bayard, Albert 
Gallatin, and Jonathan Hussel. They met the 
Briti«h commissioners. Lord Gambier, Henry 
Goulburn and William Adams, at Ghent, where 
the treaty which bears that name was concluded. 
On completing this important negotiation, and 
in so happy a manner, he proceeded to London, 
where, in conjunction wiih two of his colleagues, 
Messrs. Adams and Gallatin, he entered on an- 
other of great importance, which resulted in a 
commercial convention, since made the basis of 
our commercial arrangements with many foreign 
powers. 

RETURN TO THE FNITED STATES: IS 
RECEIVED WITH DISTINCTIOIV: AND 
AGAIN ELECTED TO THE HOISE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES, AND SPEAKER. 

On his return to the United States, he was 
received with distingui^Iied marks of respect 
wherever he went ; but in no part of the country 
with more affectionate regard tiian in his own 
Kentucky, whose people were not less proud of 
tiseir adopted son, than they were devotedly at- 
tached to him. He was re-elected to the House 
of Representatives, and again, almost unani- 
mously, appointed Speaker, continuing to be re- 
elected and to till the Speaker's clnir until 
March, 1825. when he accepted the office of 
Secretary of Stale leudercd him by Mr. Adams. 



HIS COURSE i:i'ON c;Ri:.\T PUBLIC 

MEASURES— THE TAKIKF— 

NATIONAL BANK, Stc. 

During this periotf of his public, services, que.**- 
lions of great moment came before Con^jreas, 
and agitated the nation. Tne war had left tire 
country burdened witli a heavy debt ; the cur- 
rency xvas deranged, and in a sad condition. — 
The bills of noil specie paying banks, and the 
small bills issued by irresponsible corporations 
and individuals, coQsiitutt'd the whole circulating 
medium south and west of New England. Tlie 
manufactures which had sprung up during ttie 
war, were now to be protected or suffered to fall 
under European competiiion, capital, and skill. 
Tlie payment of the public debt was to be pro- 
vided lor; the currency restored; confidence in 
the national faith reestablished ; and, in short, 
order was to be brought out of the chaos, and 
prosperity out of the utmost depression. The 
two great and leading measures to bring about 
this were the establishment of a National Bank 
and the passage of such a Tariff bill as should 
answer the tvvo fold purpose of raising revenue 
and giviug protection to our infant, but rapidly 
srowina manufactures. Both these measures 
were sustained with all the energy and rosources 
of his genius ; and both were accomplished. He 
had opposed the re-charter of the United Stales 
Bank in 1811 ; his prejudices had been enlisted 
against ii, the party to wliich he belonged op- 
posed it as a party measure, and he deemed it 
unnecessary. But time and experience had con- 
vinced him of the necessity of such an institu- 
tion, and his ma;;naniruiiy would not permit him 
to adhere to an error of judgment merily through 
pride of opinion or apparent consiitency, as if he 
were not consistent who frankly acknowledges 
his error, and does all in his power to rf^trieve it. 

Mr. Clay, in advocating the establishment of 
the United Slates Bank at this time, but followed 
in the footstep of .Mr. Madison, Mr. Gallatin, 
Mr. Crawford, .Mr. Calhoun, and other distin- 
guished Republican leaders, and acted with (he 
Democratic p;uiy. It was a jiarty measure, 
and those who now condemn hivi for tiie course 
he pursued, must also condemn all those di:»iin- 
guished men whom I have named, as well as 
the whole Republican party. 
HE ADVOCATES THE RECOGNITION 

OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE 
SOUTH A.MERICAN REPUBLICS. 

Among the most honorable and praisewontu I 
acts of .Mr. Clay's life, and which exhibits himl 
in the high and enviable character of the fiiend| 
of liberty and the rights of man. is the part hr 
look in urging ihe Government of the U. Siatcj 
to recognise the independence of the Republics 
of South America: which had thrown off thi 
yoke of Spain, and maintained their indepeiij 
dence with such gallant bravery. His various 
speeches in behalf of these Republics, and it 
support of the policy proposed, were among 'hJ 
most eloquent and spirit-stirring he ever deliver! 
ed : every sentence was rvpleie with the burnir^ 
sentiments of patriotism, and ihat generou.s 
thusiasm which the siruggles of an oppre;-. 
people, deltrmincd to shake off the yoke of i] 



ranny, and resolved to be free, cannol fail to in- 
spire every lover of civil liberty. So inspiring 
was ilie eloquence of Mr. Clay, in advocating 
ihe recogiiiiion of South American Indepen- 
dence, thai his speeches were translated into 
Spanish, read at the head of patriot armies, and 
drew some years after a letter from Bolivar, ex- 
pressing his admiration for his brilliant talents 
and ardent love of liberty. " All America, Co- 
lumbia, and myself," said Bolivar, •' owe your 
excellency our purest gratitude for the incompa- 
rable services you have rendered to us, by sus- 
taining our course with a sublime enthusiasm." 
HIS COURSE IN REFERENCE TO 

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 
In Ibis came up the question of internal im- 
provements by national means, which was sup- 
ported by Mr. Clay with his accustomed energy 
and ability. To his unwearied efforts and un- 
ceasing eloquence, the continuation of the Cum- 
berland or national road over the Alleghany 
mountains, through Ohio, &c., was mainly ow- 
ing, and his labors in favor of this valuable im- 
provement are commemorated by a ,«;ione monu- 
ment erected on the road, surmounted by the 
Genius of Liberty, and inscribed with the name 
ol "HENRY CLAY." He was in favor of 
a general system of internal improvements by 
means of roads and canals; but the South ar- 
rayed itself against the principle, and ihe States 
having undertaken these works, each within its 
own limits, it was finally abandoned, or at least 
not pressed. 

THE iMISSOURI aUESTION. 

During the winter of 181819, was agitated in 

Congress the celebrated Missouri question, and 

was, for n)any weeks, debated with great heat 

and acrimony of feeling on both sides; at one 

lime it seemed to threaten the most disa^^trous 

consf(|UPnces. On ihis occasion Mr. Clay siep- 

Ded in, when all ho|)e of compromise seemed lo 

le gone, and, by his judicious mediation, induc- 

ms the two parties to adopt a middle course, 

.(verted the tcrril)le catastrophe which all had 

■ason lo fear would follow, and brought the 

matter to a peaceful termination. It was on this 

occasion that he won the proud title of " the 

great pacificator." 

DISCUSSION OF THE TARIFF i.v 1S19-00. 

The Tariff of 1816 nm giving adequate pro- 
tection to our infant manufactures to enable 
hem to maintain ihemsclvos against the compe- 
tition of Europe, a new bill was brought forward 
n Ihe House in 1819 20, which was supported 
by all the strength of Mr. Clay's great ixjwers. 
ind upon which he delivered a speech replete 
.viih principles of the soundest poliiical philoso- 
hy, and sentiments of the most ardi?ni pairiot- 
s.u. A single sentence embodies the great 
naxim of his whole public course in reference 
o ihis vastly imporiant subject. " Mr. Chair- 
nan," said he, " I frankly own I feel great so- 
■ciiude for the succc«;s of this bill. (The Tariff 
ill then under conxideraiinn in cnmniiitee of the 
vholr.) THE ENTIRIs INDEPENDENCE 
»F MY COU.NTRY OF ALL FdREKJN 

TATEP. AS IT RE.-^I'ECrs A SUPPLY 
'F OUR ESSENTIAL WANTS. HAS 



EVER BEEN WITH ME A FAVORITE 
OBJECT. The war of our Revolution effected 
our political emancipation. The last war con- 
tributed greatly towards accomplishing our com- 
mercial freedom. But our complete indepen- 
dence will only be consummated alter the policy 
of this bill shall be recognized and adopted." — 
The bill passed the House of Representatives, 
but failed in the Senate. 

THE TARIFF ACT OF 1S24. 

The depressed stale of the various branches of 
business, agricultural, commercial, and manu- 
facturing, continued unrelieved till 1824, whea 
the Tariff question was again agitated in Con- 
gress, and a remedy for the evils liie country wa3 
suffering, was sought in the enactment of a new 
Tariff law. The debate upon this measure was 
conducted with extraordinary ability on both 
sides. The friends of the bill were led by Mr. 
Clay, who, in rising to deliver his masterly 
speech in support of it, appeared deeply sensible 
of the immense responsibility that rested upon 
him. Impressed with this feeling, he solemnly 
invoked the aid of the Most High, and " fer- 
vently implored His divine assistance; that He 
would be graciously pleased to shower on the 
country His richest blessings ; and that He 
would sustain, on this interesting occasion, the 
individual who stood before Him, and lend him 
the power, moral and physical, to perform the 
solemn duties which belonged to the public sta- 
tion." 

His efforts, and those who acted with him, 
were now crowned with success, and prosperity 
soon began to shed her invigorating beams upon 
the land, and to warm the industry of the coun- 
try once more into life and activity. From ihe 
passage of this bill lo the removal of the depo- 
sites, in 1833, no country ever witnessed more 
palmy days, in all that concerned business and 
advancement in wealth. 

MR. CLAY'S ADVOCACY OF THE 
CLAI.MS OF GREECE. 

It was at this period that Greece, having 
thrown off the shackles of Turkish slavery, was 
mnintaining a noble, but apparcnflv a hopeless, 
strug-gle for freedom and independence. No one 
then old enough to take an interest in the affairs 
of the world, can forget with what wnrm-hearted 
sympathy the Americans viewed Ihis contest, 
nor what ardent prayers went up to the God of 
battles to nerve the arru of the Christian against 
the Moslem host, and lo crown the efforts of 
(Jreece, aocioni, classic, Christian Greece, wiih 
victory. No one can forget with what generous 
zeal even our fair couniry-wonien undertook the 
henevoliMit and philanthroinc labor of collecting 
lood and cloihiiii;- for the starving and naked 
CJreeks, driven Iron) their smouldering homes by 
their ruthless enemies, and compelled to flee to 
the mountains and live in caves, and upon roots 
and berru's. The tale of the barbarities commit- 
teil upon the women and children harrowed 
every bo«om, and drew tears from every eye; 
while the heroic Uveds of a Marco Bo/zaris, and 
his companions in arms, (ired the American soul 
with iinboundod admiration. 

It was iluring the session of 1823- L that Mr. 



Webster brought forward a proposiiion to make 
provision lo defray ihe expense of deputing a 
commissioner or agent to Greece, whenever the 
President should deem it proper. In support ol 
his proposition, Mr. Webster delivered a mas- 
terly speech ; but the proposiiion was opposed 
by those who ihouglu .-iuch an act on our part 
might be construed by the Grand Suliaii as 
evincing an unfriendly feeling towards ti>e Sub- 
lime Porip, anil involve us in trouble. Some 
were understood to oppose the resolution on ac- 
count of the source whence it originated, Mr. 
VVebsier l»aving been a federalist. Mr. Clay, 
ever above any such ungenerous feeling and un- 
worthy motive, rebuked them in a dignified and 
eloquent manner. •' I have long had the plea- 
sure," said he, "of knowing liie honorable gen- 
tleman frorT) Massachuseits, and sometimes ihat 
of acting with him ; and I have much satisfac- 
tion in expressing my higli admiration of his 
great talents. But I would appeal to my repub- 
lican friends, those faiiiiful sentinels of civil li- 
berty with whom I have ever acted, shall we 
reject a proposition, consonant to our principles, 
favoring the good and great cause, on account 
of the political character of its mover ? Shall 
we not rather look to the intrinsic merits of the 
measure,and seek every fit occasion to strengthen 
and perpetuate liberal principles and noble sen- 
limenis ? If it were j)ossiile for reinthlicniis In 
cease to be the champions of human freeiloui, 
and if federalists became its only supporters, I 

WOULD CEASE TO BK .\ REPUnLICAN; I WOOM» 

BECOME A FEDERALIST. 'I'he preservation of 
Ihe public confidence can only be secured, or 
merited, by a faithful adherence to the principles 
by which it has bef-n acquired." At the close 
of his speech, the expeciaiion of which had tilled 
the galleries to overtiowing, especially with la- 
dies, he broke forth into the followin? burst of 
generous feeling and manly eloquence: 

'• But, sir, it is not for Greece alone that I de- 
sire to see this measure adopted. It will give 
her but litile support, and that purely of a moral 
kind. It is principally for America, for the cre- 
dit and character of our common country, for 
our own unsullied name, that I hope to see this 
pass. What appearance, Mr. Chairman, on the 
page of history would a record like this exhibit ? 
• la the month of .January, in the year of our 
Lord and Saviour 1824, while all European 
Christendom beheld, wiih c(dd and unfeeling in- 
difierence, the unexampled wrongs and inex- 
pressible misery o( Christian Greece, a proposi- 
tion was made in the Congress of the United 
iSiates, almost the sole, the last, the greatest de- 
pository of human hope and human freedom, 
the representatives of a gallant nation, contain- 
ing a million of freemen ready to fly lo arms, 
while the people of ihat nation were spontane- 
ously expressing its deep toned feeling, and the 
whole continent, by one simultaneous emotion, 
was rising, and solemnly and anxiously suppli- 
cating and invoking high Heaven to spare and 
succour Greece, and to invigorate lipr arms, in 
her gloriuus cause; while temples and senate 
houses were alike resounding with one burst of 
generous and holy sympathy; — In this year of 
our Lord and Saviour, — ihai Saviour of Greece 



and of us, — a proposiiion was offered in th*> 
American Congre.^s to send a messf-ncrer to 
Greece, to inquire into her siaie and condition, 
with a kind expression of our good wisbt.s and 
our sympathies — and it was rejected!' (jo 
home, if you can ; go home, if you dare, to your 
cinisiituentit, and tell them that you voted it 
down : meet, if you can, the appealing counte- 
nances of those who sent you here, and tell them 
that you shrank from the declaration of your 
own seniiHients — that you cnnnot tell how, but 
that some unknown dread, some indescribable 
apprehensicni, some indefinable danger, drove 
you from your purpose — that the spectres of 
scimitars, and crowns, and crescents gleamed 
before you, and alarmed you ; and that you sup- 
pressed all the noble teelinss prompted by reli- 
gion, by liberty, by national indeppndence, and 
by humanity. 1 cannot bring myself to believe 
that such will be the feeling of a majority of this 
committee. But, for myself, though every friend 
of the cAUse should desert it, and I be left to 
stand alone with the gentleman from Massachu- 
setts, 1 will give this resolution the poor sanction 
of my unqualified approbation." 

Mere spoke the high-souled patriot, the apostle 
of Liberty, the friend of man : and his cheering 
voice ran? along the shores of Salamis. through 
the pass of Thermopyloi, over the plains of Ma- 
rathon, and reverberated froni the wails of the 
ruined Parthenon: inspired a million of bosoms 
with hope, and nerved a million of arms with 
fresh enpr:;y. The names of Clay and Web- 
ster were pronounced wuh grateful accents by 
the lips of weeping beauty, and by the tongues 
of the brave as their hands struck for freedom. 
And they are still held in lively recollection by 
the freed inhabitants of that cradle of liberty, 
literature, science, and the arts. 
THE "BARGAIN AM) CORRUPTION" 
SLANOER. 

We come now to an epoch, perhaps the most 
important, thus far, in Mr. Clay's public life. 
It will be remembered that five candidates were 
in the field for the office of President, to succeed 
Mr. Monroe, whose term of service expired on 
the od day of March, 1825; namely . Mr. Adams, 
Mr. Crawford, Gen. Jackson, Mr. Clay and .Mr. 
Calhoun ; though the latter was withdrawn from 
the canvass for the Presidency, and was run by 
his triends as a candidate for Vice President. 

The old Irderal party having already disbanded 
and dispersed, party organization no longer ex- 
isted, and as all the candidates were prominent 
Republicans, and had been leaders of that party 
in its most tryinir days, they had to depend solt-ly 
upon personal popularity, and the estimation in 
which the peo[)le held iheir public services, iheir 
experience, judgment, and capacity to discharge 
the duties of the station to wbich they aspired. 
The canvass was carried on generally without 
bitterness or acrimony, except, perhaps, bet wi 
the friends ol .Mr. Crawford and Mr. Calhomi, 
between whom a personal nvalry arul hostility 
had long existed, though they were bf)th,as well! 
as Mr. Adams, members of .Mr. Monroe's cabi- 
net. Some hostility was also apparent beiwr-enl 
the friend'* of .Mr. Crawlor<l and Gen. Jackson ;| 
Ihe former nut looking' upon Ihe General ai a 



8 



sound Republican, antl pronouncing his election, 
in advance, as " a curse upon the country." — 
According to the constitution, il one person does 
not receive a majority of the whole electoral 
voles, and two or more are voted for, the House 
of Representatives is required to elect a Presi- 
dent from one of the three persons having the 
highest number of elecioral votes. It was very 
probable that no one ol the candidates would re- 
ceive a majoritv of the elecioral votes, and that 
the election would be carried to the House of 
Representatives of which Mr. Clay was a mem- 
ber ; in which case, if not one of the three higii- 
est returned, the duty would devolve on him to 
give his vote to one or the other of his rivals. 
This anticipated contingency occurred. Occu- 
pying a high position, and beina known to pos- 
sess great inOuence with his friends, especially 
the Kentucky and Ohio delegations, lie was 
treated iviih distinguished consideration by the 
friends ot the various candidates, and seemed, 
in his own language, addressed lo a friend at the 
lime, to be "enjoying, whilst alive, the po^ihii- 
mous honor usually awarded to the venerated 
deati." But this was onlv the fattening of ihe 
ox for the slaughler. Mr. Clav preserved a 
strict reserve as to the vote he should Cfive, which 
of itseK was the cause of newspaper conjectures 
and criticism. 

The election came on, and a most solemn and 
imposing scene, gentlemen present and partaking 
in 11, describe it to have been. Mr. Clay and the 
Kentucky and Ohio delegation voted for Mr. 
Adams, who was une.xpeciedly elected on ihe 
first ballot. Slander began at once to be busy 
with his name; those who a short lime before 
courted, now vituperated him; at first only in 
whispers, but at length openly. A rnember oi' 
("ongress from Pennsylvania was made the 
mouih-piece of Mr. Clay's villihers, who had 
not the courage to assume the responsibility of 
the vile imputations they induced their lool to 
father, agninsi his v\ ishes and his belter feelings. 

The charge of " bargain and corruption" was 
uttered from an irresponsible quarter; the crv 
was taken up by the presses in the interest of 
the canilidaics wiio had been defeated, and the 
charges were rung upon it with every po.«.sible 
variation, exaggeration, and expression of holy 
horror. It was iti vain to deny the charge: it 
had been made hy no responsible person, and no 
one could therefore be called lo substantiate il. 
Tlie country rang with this crv of " mad dog," 
uniil a considerable portion of the Ann-rican 
people fully, and doubiless honestly, believed it. 

Conscious of his own iimocence. firm in the 
rectitude ol his own course, and sustained by a 
clear and ajiprnving conscience, Mr. Clav bore 
tlie op|)robriiim attempted to he cast upon him. 
with becoming fortitude and dignity, confident 
that the time would rome when truth must a^au\ 
make her voice heard, and r» King on the peo- 
ple, in who-^e intelligence ami honest inifntions 
lie had always great confidence, to do him jus- 
tice, whenever the excitement of the limes had 
died away, the mists of prcjiidiee been dispp||.-d, 
and they should become cunvnlred that they had 
brought in a verdict of guilty against one as in- 
nocent as themselves. 



Time has cleared away much of the mist that 
then blinded the eyes of a portion of the people, 
and assuaged the prejudices then excited: they 
can now look back caUnly to the subject, anil 
weigh the evidence in the well-balanced and 
impartial scales of Justice: and i beg of ttitm 
to do so, and then lo reconsider, and either to 
reverse or confirm their verdict, as their delibe- 
rate judgment shall dictate. 

The first tangible shape in which this charge 
of " bargain and corruption" appeared, was in 
a letter published in Fayetieville, N. C, and 
dated Nashville, bih March, IBU7. It was sub- 
sequently ascertained rhat this was written by 
Mr. Carter Beveult. In that letter he said: 

" He (Gen. Jackson) told me this morning, 
before all his company, in reply to a question I 
put to him concerning the election of J. Q,. Ad- 
ams for the Presidency, that Mr. Clay's friends 
made a proposition to his friends, that, if they 
would promise /or him, not to put Mr. Adan)s 
in the seal of Secretary of State, Clay and his 
friends would, in an how, make him, Jackson, 
President. He most indignantly lejected the 
proposition, and declared he would not compro- 
mit himself; and unless most openly and fairly 
made the President by Congress, he would see 
the whole earth sink under him, before he would 
bargain or intrigue for it." 

Mr. Carter Beverly not beins known, many 
were disposed to doubt whethei Gen. Jackson 
ever made such an assertion as the above extract 
contains, and " before all his company. ^^ This 
induced Mr. Beverly to address a note to Gen. 
Jackson, who replied. His letter was dated 
Hermitage, June 5, 1827. and slated that be had 
been " informed by the friends of Mr. Clav, that 
the friends of Mr. Adams had made overtures lo 
them, sayinc, if Mr. Clay and his friends would 
unite in aid of the election of Mr. Adams, Mr. 
Clav should be Secretary of State. Thai the 
friends of Mr. Adams were urging, as a reason 
to induce the friends of Mr. Clay to accede to 
their proposition, that if I was elected President, 
iVIr. Adams would be continued Secretary of 
Slate, (inuendo, there would be no room lor 
Kentucky.) That the friends of Mr. Clay staled, 
the west did not wish to separate from the west ; 
and if 1 would say. or permit any of my confi- 
dential friends to say, that in case I was elected 
President, Mr. vXdams should not be coniinued 
Secretary of State, by a complete union of Mr. 
Clay and his friends, they would pui an end lo 
ihe Presidential contest in an hour. And he 
[the member of ("ongress who called on Gen. 
Jackson] was of opinion it was right to light 
such intriguers with their own weapons." 

Here, then, for the first lime, was an assertion 
of the fact that there was an <///ff«/)/ at least.on 
the pari of Mr. Clay or his friends, at " bargain 
and corruption," made by a responsible and 
known person, — such an assertion as Mr. Clay 
could notice: and he immediately came out with 
"a direct, unqualified and indignani denial. He 
stated that he neither made nor authorized, nor 
knew of anv proposition whatever to either of 
liie three candidates who were returned lo the 
House of Kepresentatives at the last Presidential 
election, or to the fiiends of either of ihcm, for 







(he purpose of influencing the result ol the elec- 
lion, or tor any other purpose. And all allega- 
lions, inlimaiions, and iniiendos, that ins vole on 
that occasion was olFfrcd to be yivf-n, in consi- 
deration ol any stipulation or underslaiuliiifj, ex- 
press or nnplied, direct or indirect, written or 
verbal, that lie was, or that any other person was 
not 10 he appointed Secretary of State, or that he 
was, in any other manner, to he |)ersonally bt-- 
nefitied, was devoid of all truth, and destitute of 
any foundation whatever." And he demanded 
ihe name ot the tueuiber of Congress alluded to 
by (len. Jackson in his letter to Carter Beverly. 
On sr^eing Mr. Clay's prompt, explicit, and 
unqualified denial of this charge, and his demand 
for the name of the person alluded to. General 
Jackson issued an address to (he public, dated 
Hermitage, July 18, 1827, in which he said, re- 
ferring to his letter of the 5ih of June, to Carter 
Beverly : 

"This disclosure was made to me by Mr. 
James Buchanan, a member of Congress from 
Pennsylvania, a gentleman of the tirst respecta- 
bility and intelligence. 

" The character of Mr. Buchanan, with me 
forbids the idea that he was acting on his own 
responsibility, or that, under any circumstances, 
he could have been induced to propose any ar- 
rangement unless possessed of satislactory as- 
surances, that, if accepted, it would be carried 
fully into effect. A weak mind would seldom 
or ever be thus disposed to act, an inielligeni one 
never." 

From this it appears that it ail was a mailer 
of inference with Gen. Jackson. IMr. Buchanan 
had a conversation with him, and he iiifevred 
that he called upon him as Mr. Clay's friend and 
by Mr. Clav's authority ! But what docs Mr. 
Buchanan himself say — the only witness called 
upon or unme(L by Gen. Jackson, to support his 
charge — what does he say ! — Read. 

Extract from Mr. Buchanan's letter to the edi- 
tor of the Lancaster Journal, dated 8ih August, 
1827: 

** I called upon Gen. Jackson on the occasion 
which I have mentioned, solely as hit friend, 
upon mv own individual responsibility, and not 
ns the agent of Mr. Clay or any other person. / 
never have heen (he political friend nf .Ur. Clny, 
since he became a candidate for the otTice of Pre- 
sident, as you very well know. Until / saw 
Gen. Jackson's letter to Mr. Beverly of the 5th 
ult , and at the same time was informed by a let- 
ter from the editor of the U. States Telegraph, 
that I was the person to whom he alluded, the 
conception never once entered my udnd, thai lie 
hf-lieved me to have been the agent of Mr. Clay 
and his friends, or that 1 intended to propose 
tcrtns of ANY kind for tliem: or that he could 
have supposed me capable of expressing nn 
* opinion that it was rijjht to figiit such intriguers 
wiih their own weapons.' 

" / had no authority from »Vr. Clay or his 
Jriends, tn propose any tenns to Gen. Jitckson in 
relation to their voles. NOR DID I EVER 
MAKE ANY SUCH PROPOSITION: and [ 
trust 1 would be as incapable of becoming a me," 
senger upon such an occasion, as it was known 
Gen. Jackson would be to receive such a mes- 
sage." 



Here, then, is the whole lesiimony ol General 
Jacksons own witness — the only one called, or 
pretended to exist — to sustain this often repeated 
and heinous charge of " bribery and corruption." 
Let any man of caridour point out the paragraph, 
the sentence, the word, the syllable, th;H sustains 
(he charge! Do not every word and every sen- 
tence give a plain, explicit, downright denial of 
the charge, and of every circuuisiance of it ? 
Most clearly, positively, and unequivocally be- 
yond the possibility of a doubt. But will it be 
beli<'Ved that the charge was iterated and reiter- 
ated alter this positive refutation of it! It was 
even so. It was got up to excite the prejudices 
of the people against Mr. Clay, and those who 
first brought it forward, finding that it answered 
their purpose so well, had no thought of giving 
it up or retracting it, even though lliey knew it 
to be a falsehood of the basest kind, and had been 
proved to be so. It was the instrument of as 
foul, as base, as malignant a conspiracy , as ever 
was formed lor the destruction of man. No 
man, who then had a hand in this nefarious at- 
tempt to destroy the fair fame of Mr. Clay, can 
now be found who is willing to acknowledge his 
ngcncy in it, or that he ever believed that there 
was the least truth in the chaige, except Mr. 
Beverly himself, who has, in a letter addressed 
to Mr. Clav during the past winter, candidly ac- 
knowledged the wrong he did him, and made the 
most ample apology. Others, however, more 
guiltv, want the magnanimity and grace (o do 
Mr. Clay that poor justice, even al this laie day. 
^The letter of recantation from Mr. Beverlv '<> 
Mr. Clay, is dated ViRniMi. Mmidlf.skx C<<- .^ 
TV. Ukuana. Febkvakv 8, 1812. He says : 

" It will be no doubt a matter of some aston- 
ishment to you in receiving from mc the present 
Address. 1 will not preface it with any kind of 
apology, because, in duin? it, [ justify my mind 
in the iiischarae ol an act of conscience and a 
duty that I feel the utmost pleasure in perform- 
ing. 

*' Although the lime is quite far gone since I 
became very innocently instrumental in circulat- 
ing throughout the country a very great attack 
on your character and virtue as a gentleman, and 
certainly a very heavy one as a public man, I 
feel exceedingly desirous to relieve you, as far as 
I can, from the slander; and my own feelings 
from the severe compunction that is within me, 
of having been, though neiihtr directly or indi- 
rectly your personal accuser, yet that I was 
drawn directly into the representation of an at- 
tack upon you. 

• f • • • • 

"This letter is intended to show you that the 
long lapse of time, and the many growing cir- 
cumstances of the country and jiovernineni, have 
long convinced me that the very greatest injus- 
tice was done you in the charge made. I had, 
ton, an opporiunity lately, of readinc over very 
calmly and dispassionately a file of newspapers 
containing the whole affair; and carefully dilated 
upon it. — Mr. Buchanan, who was represented 
to be your accuser, exhibited no proof whatever 
against you : and he even denied havinir ever 
niade the charge upon you. I have discharged 
roy mind in addressing myself so fully to you, 
and can only add, if a publication of this letter 



10 



can render you any essential service, (though I 

do not deserve it,) you have full liberty from me 

to lei the public see it. • 

m * - » • » 

" I again say that I am most thoroughly con- 
vinced "that you were most untruthfully, aud, 
therefore, unjustly treated ; for I have never seen 
any evidence to substantiate at all the charge. 
, » • • » * 

Signed, " CARTER BEVERLY." 
It is unnecessary to add any thing further in 
refutaiiun of this foul and unfounded charge of 
" bargain and corruption." The great mass of 
the Anierican people are lovers of justice, and 
when convinced that injustice has been done, 
have that generosity of spirit and kind feeling 
which prompts ihem to repair injury. Prejudice 
will doubtless, however, induce some to close 
their eyes against the light of truth, and their 
hearts against conviction. Into the minds of 
such, tho'ugh truth shone with the brightness of 
the sun at noon day, its rays could not pene- 
trate—all would be darkness. Still, however, 
it may not be useless, and is but justice to Mr. 
Clay, to add the testimony— the solemn asseve- 
ration, of one individual more. If Mr. Clay was 
guilty of the charge alleged, he could not have 
been the only guilty person ; if there was a 'bar- 
gain' there must have been another party to it, 
and that party, Mr. Adams, by whom Mr. Clay 
was a[)poinied Secretary of State, which otrice 
|je held during the four years of Mr. Adams' ad- 
niinistraiion. 

A committee appointed by citizens of New 
Jersey, having adilressed Mr. Adams on his re- 
tirement from ofhce! he transmiiied lo them a 
reply, from which the following is anne.xed : 

" Upon him (Mr. Clay) the foulest slanders 
have been showered. Long known and appre- 
ciated, as succc-^ively a member of boih houses 
of your naiionni legislature, as the unrivalled 
speaker, and, at the same time, most efficient 
leader of debates in one of them ;— as an able 
and successful negotiator for your interests in 
war and in peace with foreign powers, and as a 
powerful candidate for the highest of your trusts: 
—the De|)arimeiit of Stale itself was a station 
whicli, hy its bestowal could confer neither pro- 
fit nor honiir upon him, but upon which he has 
shed unfading honor, by the tnanner in which 
he has discharged its duties. Prejudice and pas- 
sion have charged him with obtaining ihat ollice 
by bargain and corruption. liefnrt you, fellow 
cilizeus, in the prrsmce of our countn/ and of 
Heaven, I rKONocNCK that ciiAUfiK totai.i-Y 
uNvouNPEi). This iributeof justice is due from 
me to. him. and 1 seize, with pl-asure. the oppur- 
lunitv alVorded me by your letter, of discharging 
the oblmaii'.in." 

At a late barhacue given to Mr. CIny by his 
friends and neiglihors ni Lexington, on his reiire- 
meiil from the Senate and return home, alluding 
in his speech to the foul calumny that had been 
raised and put forth against him.snnie one in the 
crowd cried out that Cartkh nr.VKiu.y. who 
had i)een the organ of announcing it, had re- 
cently borne testimony of us lieing unfduiided. 
Mr. Clay said it was tru" that he had voluntarily 
bore such lestinjony. "But." with great earn- 



estness and emphasis, Mr. Clay said. " I want 
no testimony: here— here — here," repeatedly 
touching his heart, amidst tremendous cheers. — 
" here is the best witness of my innocence." 
The efTect was electric, and every soul present 
was touched. 

HE RETIRES TO PRIVATE LIFE, AND 
IS. FOR THE THIRD TIME, ELECT- 
ED TO THE U. S. SENATE. 
At the close of Mr. Adams' administration, 
on the 3d day of March, 1828, Mr. Clay retired 
to his own quiet Ashland, to cultivaie his farm, 
and the enjoyments of private life. From these, 
however, he was, in 1831, drawn by the Legis- 
lature of his own Slate, which elected him for 
the third time to the Senate of the United States. 
With his public course since he entered the Se- 
nate, where he continued nearly eleven years, 
and with the various measures originated and 
adopted by him. the public are probably more 
familiar than with his public acts previous. It 
is the fortune of few men to fill so large a space 
in the public eye, or to accomplish so much for 
his country's welfare, during a whole life, as Mr. 
Clay has during this period of his senatorial ser- 
vice. The acknowledg^ed leader of the party to 
which he belonged, its chief measures have ori- 
ginated with him, and all of ihem had his able 
co-operation and support. Having been, how- 
ever, the greater portion of this time in a minor- 
ity in the Senate, and the whole of the time up 
to the 4lh of March, 1811, in a minority in Con- 
gress, neither he nor the party to which he be- 
longed could carry ai-y measure through to a final 
law. In the winter of 1832, the TarifT question 
came up and was discussed : on which occasion 
Mr. Clay delivered a speech in defence ol the 
American System, in which the policy of pro- 
tection was most ably and clearly expounded, 
maintained, and defended. 

A BILL TO RE-CHARTER THE UNITED 
STATES BANK. 

Another subject deeply agitated the public 
mind at this time, and was acied on at the same 
session of Congress : this was the re-charter of 
the United States Bank. Gen. Jackson had 
brought this subject to the view of the National 
Legislature, and thus to the nation itself, in his 
firs'! annual message in December. 1820: subse- 
(juentlv in 1830. and again in 1831. Mr. Mc- 
Lane ihe Secretary of the Treasury, recommend- 
ed the re-charter of the bank, and stated his rea- 
sons at Inrae at the commencement of the ses- 
sion of 1831-32. Mr Dallas, then a member of 
the Senate, brought forwanl the bill to re- charier 
tlu- bank, and it was passed by very decided ma- 
jorities in both Houses of Congress. 
IT IS VETOED BY GEN. .TACKSON— 
MR. CLAYS SPEECH ON THE 
OCCASION. 

The hill was vetoed by Gen. Jackson, for a 
variety of reasons assigned by \\'\m in his mem- 
orable vc:o message. On this message Mr. Clay 
addressed the Senate, and commented with free- 
dom, but with dignity and force, upon the novel 
docirmes advanced by the President, and espe- 
rially upon that which declares every public of- 
ficer who lakes an oath to support the Constiiu- 



11 



lion, IS at Iibeity to support it as he understands 
it; and thai the President, in this respect, is in- 
dependent of the Supreme Court, the trihunal 
established lor the pur|)ose of deciding upon, and 
settling consiiluiional questions; a doctrine 
fraught, as lie declared, with universal nullilica- 
fion, destructive of all subordination, authuriiy, 
and fixedness, and subversive of government. 

In this speech he looked forwnrd with the eye 
of a sagacious statesman, and spoke the words 
of a prophet. He said, speaking of certain con- 
tingencies, " Depression in the value ofall pro- 
perty, sheriff's sales and sacrifices — bankruptcy 
must necessarily ensue, and, wiih them, relief 
Jaws, paper-money, a prostration of the court of 
justice, evils from which we have jusi emerged, 
must again, with all their train of alHictions re- 
visit our country." Have not these evils follow- 
ed in the train of those measures which began 
the work of destruction by crushing the great bal- 
ance-wheel of the currency ? Already we have 
" depression in the value of all properly, sheriff 's 
sales, sacrifices, bankruptcies," and " relief 
laws!" 

THE LAND DISTRIBUTION. 
At the same session of Congress I\Ir. Clay first 
brought I'orward his great measure of distributing 
the proceeds of the sale of the public lands a- 
mong the States, which has since found so much 
favor with the people of the United Slates, and 
become a cardinal principle of the Whig parly, 
and one of vital importance to the country. Mr. 
Clay had been placed on the commitiee ofman- 
ufaciures; to this committee the subject of the 
Public Lands was referred by the Senate, a ma- 
jority of whom were his political opponents, not- 
wiihsianding there was a standing commiiiee on 
the public lands, appointed under Ion? establish- 
ed rules! Kor what purpose a subject so in- 
congruous as ihe public lands to those expected 
to occupy the mmds of liiis committee, was re- 
lerred to it, it is impossible lo conjecture, unless 
It was intended (hereby to embarrass Mr. Clay, 
and involve liira in ditiicully with one portion 
of the country, or another. The reference of 
itiis subject to thai committee was the more ex- 
traordinary, inasmuch as there was not a single 
member from ilie new Slates upon it, and hut 
one, Mr. Clay, from the western Stales. In no- 
• licing this novel procedure in his speech, made 
upon the occasion of his bringing forward his bill 
to distribute, lor a limited time, the proceeds of 
the public domain, he remarks: — 

" We had earnestly proiested against the re- 
ference, and insisted upon its impropriety, but 
we were overruled by the majority, including a 
majority of Senators from the new Slates. I 
will not attempt an explanation of the feelings 
exhibited in my mind on that occasion. Whaf- 
e?er may have been the intentions of honorable 
Senators, I could not be insensible to the embar- 

Irassment in which the commiitee of mnnufac- 
ttres was placed, and especially myself. Al- 
though any other member of that commiitee 
would have rendered himself, with appropriate 
researches and proper time, mure competent 
than I was to understand the subject of ihe pub- 
lic lands, it was known that, from my local po- 
i-iiion, I alone was supposed to have any partic- 



ular knowledge of them. Whatever emanated 
Imm thai commitiee was likely, thf-refurc, to be 
ascribed to me. — If the conimillee should propose 
B measure of great liberality towards the new 
Stales, the old States might complain. If tlie 
measure should seem to lean towards the old 
Slates, the new might be dissatisfied. And, if 
it inclined to neither class of Slates, but recom- 
mended a plan according to which there would 
be distribuieil im[)arlial justice among all ihu 
Slates, it was far from certain that any would be 
pleased." 

But the subject being thus thrown upon hintx 
by those who bought to involve tiim in difficulty, 
ite brouglil to it all the powers of his under- 
standing, and, after a thorough investigation, ma- 
tured the plan and bill, which he reported to the 
Senate. The attempt made by a majority of the 
Senate, composed of his poiiiicaj enemies, to 
embarrass him, novt^ recoiled upon their own 
heads. But if the reference in the first instance, 
of this subject to ihe committee on manulaciures 
was unprecedented, the disposition made of Mr. 
Clay's able report from that committee was still 
more so. 

This was hardly read in the Senate before it 
was violently denounced, and without being con- 
sidered by ihe Senate, was referred to the com- 
mittee on Public Lands — the very cominiliee to 
which Mr. Clay had, in tiie first [)lace, insisted 
the subject ought to be referred. After some 
days this committee made a report, and recom- 
mended a reduction of the price of ihe public 
lands immediately lo one d'dlar per acre, an'l 
eventually to fifiy cents per acre, and ihe gi.i..t 
lo the new Slates of fifteen per cent, on ihe net 
proceeds of the sales, instead of ten per cent., as 
proposed by the commriee of manufactures, aud 
nolliin'^ lo the old Stiites. 

At the lime Mr. Clav brought forward his pro- 
position to distribute ihe proceeds of ihe public 
lands among a// the States, after giving the new 
Slates ten per cent., various propositions and 
claims in regard to ihem had been made of a 
very extraordinary character, which Mr. (.lay 
took occasion to notice. The first was that of 
Mr. Benton, to cede the '• refuse lands" lo the 
Stales in which they lay. " Refuse lands," "re- 
fuse lands," " refuse lands" was his tune. The 
next was that of the Governor of Illinois, who 
asserted the absolute right of that State to all the 
public lands lying within her limits. Then came 
the proposition from the Senator of Viriinia (.Mr. 
'I'azewell.) to cede and surremler to ihe Stales 
in which they lay all itie lands belonging to the 
United Slates, upon certain indefinite conditions. 
He thus exposes the aiiempis that had been 
made, and were then making. tr» rob the old 
Slates of their interest in the public domain, and 
he came forward with a measure that meted out 
jusiice to all, to the east and lo the west ; to ihe 
north and lo tlie south; to tlip old States and to 
the new. Speaking of the risht of the whole 
lo the public lands, said he : — 

** The right of the Union to the public lands 
is inconte^able It ouffht not lo be considered 
deb8tal>!e. It never was qnesiioned but by a 
few, whose monstrous heresy, it was probably 
supposed would escape animadversion from the 






enoftflity cf the absurdity, and the utter imprac- 
ticability of the success of the claim. The right 
of the whole is sealed by the blood of the Hevo- 
iution. founded upon solemn deeds of cession 
from sovereign States, deliberately executed in 
the face of the world, or resting upon national 
treaties concluded with foreign powers, or ample 
equivalents contributed from the treasury of the 
people of the United Stales." 

Fortunately fur the country, from that time 
he has taken a deep and lively interest in this 
great and important subject. The Secretary of 
the Treasury, even had, in his annual report to 
Congress, recommended the ceding of the lands 
to the Stales in whose limits they lay ; and we 
have seen that others advocated the same mea- 
sure. — Mr. Clay looked upon this as an unjust 
disposal of them, beinj a frauJ upon the old 
Slates. Nor was this all : the propositions thus 
to dispose of the public domain, could not but 
be considered as public bids for the political sup- 
port of the west and south-west. Undoubtedly 
he might have come into the market too, and 
purchased popularity of one portion of the coun- 
try by surrendering up to it the public lands, and 
of another portion by the advocacy of a protect- 
ive Tariff — a measure with which he was, and 
ever has been, peculiarly identified. But Mr. 
Clay never vet iiuiuired what measure was poj)- 
xilar, but what was rii:hl — declaring on a mem- 
orable occasion, when told that a certain course 
might injure his popularity — that he would ra- 
ther be ri^clU than the President of the United 
States, hish as that station was. He viewed, 
and siiil views, the public lands as an inherit- 
ance of inestimable value. — as an almost ev- 
hausile-s treasure, and one that ought not to be 
fcfpjjndered or given aw?.y. 

His proposition to distribute the proceeds of 
(he public lands was no sooner rc|)r)rted lo the 
Senate, 3ti<l made known to the country. tUnn it 
became triuiiiphatot. The bill passed the Se- 
nate at that session, but was not acted on in the 
House: it WHS j;.«ining favor with the coaiilrj, 
however, and so irrcat was its |iopularit) , that 
it passed at (he next session by very lar;:e ma- 
jorities, in both branches of Con;;res3. It was 
then sent to the. President, Gen. Jackson, for his 
signature; hul, instead of signini; it, or returii- 
ing it with bis reasons for wilhholdin;; hia,si2na- 
tiire, he pocketed it! IlutI it bren returned, 
there can'iot bo a doubt but it wnuld h.ive be- 
come H law, by the vote of t>vo tliirds of both 
Houses ; and of this he was fully aware. 

*' it was a meHf>ure su2t;estcd by one who 
sharctl no p.iil in the Picsidcnl's rounstds or af- 
fections; and allhou^jli he ha(i himself, in his 
annual mrssatre, recommended a similar meas- 
ure, he did not hcsilale to chan',;e hii ground in 
order to thwart the views ol its aullior." Per- 
sonal liDstility induced him to resort to the novel 
mode, of l(illiii|( the bill by siiiothcrint; it in bi.H 
pocket '■ nd'ure another ses-ion of Congress 
commcnceil, the coiiunanil went forth — the inea- 
sure w.ia lienoiMu-ed — the faithful wcie rc(piirod 
lo (iurreixler llwir own opinions, and sust.tin 
tin ir chief, and lo I it was done — From th.it 
day to (he present, thoac who clann to bclon;,; to 
(he (Iciiiocraltc sheep fold have been required 



to eschew the distribution of (he proceeds of (he 
public lands an>ons the people of the States, its 
riKhtful owners, as a "federal measure." Is it 
possible for a nation to have the benefit of be- 
nign measures, vrhen those which are calculated 
to promote the general good are defeated thro" 
mere personal pique or prejudice towards the 
individual with whom (hey originate, and be- 
cause their adoption would add a leaf to the 
chaplet that adorns his bro»v ? A wise people 
will not inquire xclio orii^inated a measure, but 
whether (he measure i(self is likely to prove 
beneficial or otherwise. And (hat na(ion has 
parted with her own dignify and sell-respect, 
which either adopts or rejects a course of poli- 
cy simply because it orij;inated with one man, 
or was opposed by another. 

It was undoubtedly (be fact that for many 
years, as Mr. Clay asserted, various pretensions- 
had been put forth concerning the public lands„ 
one of which was, that they belonged cf right \o- 
the Slates in whose limits (hey were situa(ed ; 
another, that they should be ceded to these 
S(a(es by the United States ; another, that their 
price should be graduated down (o almo5( no- 
(hing ; and all had in view either tlieir actual or 
virtual siirrender by (Le general government, 
Mr. Clay saw (ha( if no( secured to the old 
States, (heir interest in the public domain wouKl 
soon be ttone forever, ami the plan of distribu- 
tion which he brought forward was designed, 
not only lo se((le our policy in regard (o (his im- 
mense national interest, but to settle it upon the 
imniutable principles of jus(ice — even-liar.ded 
justice to n\\. 

But no sooner was thrre a prospect of this 
plan being ^dop1ed, than the very men who hail 
clamoured for "the lion's share" of (he public 
domain, who had scheme after scheme for was- 
ting and squandering the lands, and had pro- 
tested against their being considered as a source 
of rtveiiue by the governinent, turned around 
and became equally clamorous a»ainst the pro- 
ceeds of the sales being taken from (he (rea.'-ury, 
and distributed equally and ia)|)artially to (he 
people of all (he States ? Such is (he consi^ilen- 
ry of mere deniagogues ! In his speech on (he 
distribution of (he proceds of (he public lands, 
delivered in (he Sena(e, on the 28th J)«n»iary, 
J8-H, Mr. Clay (bus notices (he con(radictory 
and ii!Consi>(en( course of bis oppoiicn(s. 

" All at once these gentlemen serm to be 
dci'ply interested in the rcvcuue derivable from 
(he i)ublic lands. Listen to them tinw. and you ■ 
would suppose that heretmV.re they had nltcays < 
been, and hereafter would continue to be, deci- 
dedly and warmly in favor of carefully husband- 
ing the public domain, antl obtaining from it the 
greatest practicable amount of revenue, for the 
exclusive use of (he general govcrnnent. You 
woulil imagine (ha( none of them had ever ss- | 
pousid or sanctioned any scheme for wasting or J 
squandering the puLlic lands ; that they regard- 
ed them as a sacred and invirdahle fund, Ig be 
preserved for (he benefit of posterity, as well as 
this getieralion. 

" It is my intention no^ to unmask these gen- 
tlemen, and to show (heir real system for (hej 



1 



ailministralion of (he public lands embraces no 
object of revenue, either in the sPnerai govern- 
ment or the States; that their purpose is otlier- 
wise to di>po!^3 of (hem ; (hat the fever for rev- 
enue is an interniittent, which appears only 
when a bill to distribute (he jiroceeds equall}' 
anion}; all (he States is pending; and that, as 
■soon as that bill is ^ot rid of. gentlemen relapse 
into their old projects of throwiiij; away (he pub- 
lic lands, and denouncing all objects of revenue 
from (he public lands as unwise, illiberal, and 
■unjust towards the new States. I wdl make ail 
this good by tlie most incontrovertible tcsti- 
inony. »«»•••» 

" I proceed to the documentary proof In bis 
Annual message of December 1, \8:)2, President 
Jackson says: 

" 'As the lands may now be considered as re- 
lieved from this pledge, (that is, the expt-nses of 
the Revolutionarv war,) the object for which 
ihey were ceded having been accomi)lisheti, it 
is in the discretion of Congress todispose of them 
in such ^vay as best to conduce to the quiet, 
harmony, and general in(erests of the American 
people," &c. — "// seems to me lo be our true pol- 
ici/ that tilt piihlic hiiiils ahaU ceafe, as soon as 
jiraclicalle, to be a source of revenue.' " 

From the report of Mr. King, chairman of the 
rommittee on public lands, to whom his (Mr. 
Clay's) report was referred in 1?3,2, Mr. Clay 
read the following : 

" This committee turn with confidence from 
the Land Offices to the Custom Houses, and 
say, lierc are the true sources of Federal revemti-] 
•Give the lands to (he cultivaior ! and tell him 
to keep his money, and lay it out in their culti- 
vation !" 

" Now, ]\Ir. President," continued Mr. Clay, 
■' bear in mind that this report, made by the Se- 
nator from Alabama, imbodies the sentiments of 
his party ; the measure of distribution which 
came from the committee on manufactures, ex- 
hibited one system for the adminijtiation of (he 
public lands, and that it was referred lo the 
committee on public, hnds, to enable tlia( com- 
mittee (0 make an :'.rgumen(ative re[)or( against 
it, and to present us their system — a counter- 
antagonist system. 

" During the whole progress of the bill thro' 
the Senate, the party dominant (ben and now 
acted in conformity \vith (he doc(rines contained 
in (he report of their organ, (Mr. King ) Nev- 
erth>dcs8 the bill jjassed bo(h houses of Congress 
by decisive majori(ies. 

" Hear how President Jackson lays down (he 
law in 18.33: 

'' 'On the whole, I adhere to the opinion ex- 
pressed by me in my annual message of 183-2, 
(hat i( is our true policy that the ptiblic lands 
shill cevisc, as soon as practicable, to be a source 
of reienue, except for the payment of those gen- 
eral charges which grow out of (he acqui-irion 
of the land-, their Mirvey. and sale, i do not 
doubt, that it is (he real interest of each and all 
the States in the Union, ai:d particularly of the 
new States, that the price of these lands shall 
be reduced and gradua(ed ; and XhA after (hey 
have been otVered for a certain number of rears. 



//(«• refuse, remaining unsold, shall be abondoned 
to the Stales, and the machinery of our land-sys- 
tem fntirehj withdraion.' " 

" It was but the other day wr heard (he Scn- 
a(or fr«m Arkansas (Mr. Sevier) express some 
of (hese sentimen(s. \Vha( were we (old by (hat 
Senator? ' W'e will have (he puhlir lands. 
We must have them, and we tcill TAKE thcni 
in n/ein years.' " 

[Mr. Sevier said, " So we ivill "] 

" Hear him! Hear him ! He repeats it. Ut- 
ters it in the curs of the revenue-pleading Sena- 
tor, (Mr. Wright.) on my left. And yet /je will 
vole against distribution." 

THE COM PROM ISF: ACT. 

It will be seen by the foregoing cx(rac(s from 
Mr. Clay's i:ficech, and the documents referred 
(o by him, (hat it has been for many years the 
avowed purpose of those who op[)ose distribn- 
(ion, anil now insis( on (he lands being consid- 
ered a* a source of revenue, (o cede, or odier- 
wise dispose of (hem (u (he S(a(p« in which (hey 
lie ; and (ha( they have as s(renuously main- 
tained that they ought not (o be looked (o for 
revenue. Such glaring conlr.idictions and ir- 
contis(ency need no commeiU; (hey speak a 
language which no one can H.isunders(and. 

The leilerated attacks upon the protective 
system by the advocates of the doctrine of free 
trade, together with (he fact of (he ex(inguish- 
ment of the public debt and an overflowing trea- 
sury, had, in IS.3S, greatly 0|tcra(ed ujion pub- 
lic opinion, and brough( about a conviction that 
protective duties were not so necessary as they 
had been co:isidered, and were, perhaps, as the 
South declared them to be, oppressive to them, 
and unjust in their operation. South Carolina 
had also undertaken to nullify the revenue laws 
ef the United Stales, and Ihrentened open re- 
sistance and rebellion, should (he general gov- 
ernment attempt to enforce them. Discontent 
had been sown among (he people of (he South, 
who had been made (o believe (hat they were 
oppressed, and that their wishes and interests 
had been disregarded by the national Govern- 
ment. These dibCon(en(s had been foiutnted, 
and the hopes of the southern people encour- 
aged by the course of the Federal Administni- 
tion. which, at the very moment that it threat- 
ened and recommended the use oi' the powtrof 
the whole Union, proclaimed aloud the injustice 
of the system which it was about lo enforce. In 
(he language of Mr. Clay, " (hese di.^oon(en(s 
Were not limited to those who maintained the 
extravagant theory of nullification ; they wern 
not confined to one State ; bii( were G0P.\(en5ive 
with the en(irc South, and extended even to the 
northern S(a(es." A majority of the par(y then 
dominant, since defeated, was then, as now, op- 
posed to the (arid" policy. Under all (lie<p. cir- 
cums(aiiccs. Mr. Clay deemed (hat policy in 
imminent danger: ''it is." said he, "in (he 
hands of the Philistines, who would strangle it;" 
and he llew '■• is succour. The celebra(ed 
Compromise bid w:»s introduced, and after much 
debate, finallv |iassed. 

Mr. Cliv. uiih whom (his great measure of 
conciliation orignated. and to whose inodera- 



14 



I 



(ion, firmness, patriotism, and abilities, its suc- 
cess was due, was, on this occasion, hailed by a 
very lar^e portion of the country, north, south, 
and west, as " the great pacificator and saviour 
of the country." 

By some, however, he was charged with aban- 
doning his own system. In reply he said, " It 
was far from the object of those who support 
this bill, to abandon or surrender the policy of 
protecling American industry." » • » "The 
condition of the country has impressed every 
public man with the necessity of some modifica- 
tion of the principles of protection, so far as it 
depends upon iiij^h duties." * • * '• Sir, I 
desire to be perfectly understood as to the mo- 
tives which have prompted me to offer tliis mea- 
sure. I repeat, tliat th«y are, first to preserve 
the manufdcturintl interest, and secondly, to qui- 
et the country. ■ 1 believe the American system 
to be in the greatest danger: and I believe it 
can be placed on a better and safer foundation 
at this session, than at the next." » » » 
" Mr. President, it is not destruction — but pre- 
servation of the system at which we aim. If 
dangers now assail it, u'e have not created tjiem. 
I have sustained it upon the clearest convictions 
of its expediency. They are entirely unalter- 
ed." 

'J'lie comproniise bill being accepted by the 
South as " a concession from the stronger to the 
»veaker party," it proved, as its author designed 
it sliould, a trancjuilizing measure, and secured 
lo the country, |and e.^pecially to those engaged 
in manufacturin'^, a stability' of policy for a num- 
ber of years, far more important to tliein than 
heavy duties with uncertainty and fluctuation. — 
I\lr. Clay has been, and is (o the present day, 
rnnch censured for tJisposing of tlie tariff (|ues- 
tion as he did in the cnnipromisc l)i!l ; but if 
ever there was a ineasure that oritrinated in tho 
most aaxious desire to do that which, under all 
circiiH)>»tances. was best for the countrv, and if 
;i public man ever acted upon pure and disinter- 
evtriJ motives, this xvas the measure and ifiis thu 
> ail' :oii no unprejudiceil i)erson who knows 
liiuati «:iicumstan('es and thu imminent dansjcr 
there then uas of losing the protective system 
4nlir<ly, as well as of plunging tlie country into 
a civil war, can, it seems lo me, for a single mo- 
ment, doubt the wisdom of that measure. 

UKMOVAL OF THK DKFOSITK.*^. 
.Many (piestions of the higlicft imporlance 
came up aii(l *vcre discussed »\ great length, with 
unrivalled ability, in llie JSenale, during tJeneral 
Jackson'fi second term, «nd Mr. \n\\ IJiircn's 
adnunistration. Anuint; these wrro, the remo- 
val of the dcposites from the Hank of the United 
States, antJ the diismissal of Mr. Duano, ujion 
whicli orcHsion Mr. Clay offered a resolution de- 
claring lliat the I'rt^ident had exerciseii a power 
not %varranted by the constitution or laws, but 
in dcroeralion of lioth. This exrited an acrimo- 
nious discussion, in whieli the exrcnliie po\\«T 
was fri'ely examined The resoluimn was finally 
a<ioptcil by the Senate. and was alterwanls. when 
the administration parly l)eeame the hiHJorilv of 
the Senate, attacked with a vudence and arerlii- 
ly of fi-elinji: seldnni paralleled in le;;islalive pro- 
ceedings. Mr. Benton moved a resolution to rx- 



punge the offensive record, whicn was, after 
some two or three years, adopted, and the dis- 
graceful act of defacing the records of the Senate 
was performed. On this occasion , Mr. Clav con- 
cluded a thrilling speech, with the following in- 
dignant and burning language : 

" But why should 1 detain the Senate or need- 
lessly waste my breath in fruitless exertions ? 
The decree has gone forth. It is one of urgency, 
too. The deed is to be done — that foul deed, 
like the blood-stained hands of the guilty Mac- 
beih, all ocean's water will never wash out. — 
Proceed, then, to the noble work which lies be- 
fore you, and like other skilful executioners, do 
it quickly. And when you have performed it, go 
home to the people, and tell them what glorious 
honors you have achieved lor our common coun- 
try. Tell them that you have extinguished one 
of the brightest and purest lights that ever burn- 
eil on the altar of civil liberty. Tell them that 
you have silenced one of the noblest batterie* 
that ever thundered in defence of the constitu- ) 
tion, and have spiked the cannon. Tell them 
that, henceforth, no matter what daring or out- 
rageous act any President may perform. you have 
forever hermetrically sealed the mouth of the Se- 
nate. Tell them that he may fearlessly assume 
what power he pleases, snatch from its lawful 
custody the public purse, command a military 
detachment to enter the halls of the Capitol, 
overawe Congress, trample down the Constitu- 
tion, and raze every bulwark of freedom; but 
that the Senate must stand mute, in silent sab- 
mission, and not dare to raise its opposing voi^re. 
That it must wait until a House of Representa- 
tives, humbled and subdued like itself, and a ma- 
jority of it composed of the partisans of tlie Pre- 
sident, shall prefer articles of impeachment. 
Tell them, finally, that you have restored the 
glotious doctrine of passive obedience and non- 
resistance ; and iC the people do not pour out 
their indignation and imprecations. I have yet to 
learn the character of American freemen." 

HIS VIEWS ON TUK RF-MOVAL OF THE 

INDIANS 

The treatment of the Indians generally, and 
especially the gross injustice done the Chero- 
kcts, in «lriving them from a country guarantied 
to them in perpetuity, by solemn treaties, was 
another subject that occupied the attention of 
Congress and the country. Mr. Clay became 
conspicuous for his advoc?cy of the rights of this 
injured pi'ople, who had n)ade great advances 
in the arts of civilized life, and were rapidly a- 
bandoninjj their nomadic habits and becoming 
.in agricultural, a Christisn. an<i a literary peo- 
ple ; anil his «Kquence enlisted the synipatliy 
and aroused the ~ 

the i!( Tree had 

Has tilt law of the land, hail said it. and, regard- 
less of treaties, regardless of justice, regardless 
of the plitrhted faith of the nation, they were dri- 
ven from their farms, their houses, and the graves 
of their fiithers, into the prairies of the West." 
TUK DtPOSITE SYS'lKiM. 

Mr. Clay and liis frienils had. as is well known 
opposed what they deemed a ruinous financiall 
jiolicy.and high hainled measures ol Gen. .lack-l 
son's administration, and had all along predicted 



.,.., v.. J..., J, 

indignation of the nation. ButI 
•rone forth — he whose iron will! 



15 



the evils Ihat must eventually flow from such 
measures. For some 3'car9, under (lie oi)cralion 
of judicious tariff hiws, the tieasury liad been 
overflowing ; l>y stimulants a|)j>licd to the hanks 
by the government, the currency had become in- 
flated ; business of all kintls partook of the fe- 
verish action of every thing else ; speculation 
abonnJt^d every where ; property rose with such 
ra[)idity that the most visionary dreams of wak- 
inji men seemed to be but the anticipations of 
actual realization. But in this mad career of 
rash speed of a uhole nation makini; haste to be 
rich, a sudden check was given tn this velocity. 
From encouraging the deposite hanks to extend 
their circulation, the government adopted ;i mea- 
sure calculated to create an extraordinary de- 
mand for specie, and thus fo^ce almost instanta- 
neously, an extensive curtailment of the curren- 
cy. 'Ihe result was a universal suspension of 
specie payments, in May 1S37, and the com- 
mencement nf a most deplorable reverse in the 
condition of the country. Coulii it afford the 
patriot any satisfaction to witness the fullihuent 
of his own predictions of evil, Mr. Clay and his 
frieiids have enjoyed that satisfaction ; but nei- 
ther have the heartlessness to exult in the mis- 
fortunes and embarrassments of their country, 
though foretold bj them with prophi-tic accuracy. 
None regretted the unliappy condition of the 
country, brought ujion it by obstinate and reck- 
less men, more deeply and sincerely than him- 
self: no one more zealously endeavored to avert 
approaching and foreseen evils. 

This state of the country, the causes and the 
remedy, were themes his powerful mind easily 
grasped, and which, during the whole term of 
Mr. Van Buren's administration, gave it constant 
exercise. He strove to awaken the public mind 
to tlie glaring mismanagement of the affairs of 
the country by those to whose care they had 
been entrusted ; and he had, at length, the satis- 
faction to see the people o[)en their eyes to their 
true condition, and rite u[) in their might to ap- 
[ily the constitutional remedy — a change of rul- 
<'rs, etl'ected by the ballot-box. If all has not 
been accomplished by that change uhich the 
people had in view, much has been done, and 
the causes why more has not, are to be found in 
the lamented death of the late President Harri- 
son, the great instrument elected to carry out 
the desired reform, and in the weakness, obsti- 
nacy, and vanity, overweening and ridiculous 
ambition of tiie individual unfortunately selected 
for the olFice of ^'ice President, his abandon- 
ment of the principles and opposition to the 
measures of the party whose support he had 
sought, whose faith he had hypocritically pio- 
fessed, and by whom he had been trusted. 
A CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDKNCV. 
Mr. Clay was rominated and supported by 
the Whis party, in 183-2. as a candidate for the 
presidential otlice. in opposition to Gen Jackson; 
but (he party tiien in power couimanded a ma- 
jority in almost eveiy State in the Union except 
i Massachusetts and Kentucky. It wielded all 
the power and j.alronaKe ol the general govern- 
ment, and stinted not the use of any means 
within it" control, to secure its ascendancy. Add 
to thi^ the fact that a thud candidate was also 



run by a portion of (liose opposed to the high 
handed measures of the administration, (iMr. 
\ViH,T, by the Anti-masons,) and it will scarcely 
surprise any one that General Jackson was re- 
elected by a large majority. 

URGKS THE SUPPORT OF FIARRISON. 

Mr. Clay •loclined being a candidate in IS.Sfi ; 
but his nonunation was presseil with honest zeal 
by a lar^e portion of the Whig party, in 1840, 
aiid conlid'-nily expected at the liarrisburg na- 
tional convention. In this expertation his friends 
were disappointed. For reasons into which it 
would be out of place here to enter, the nomina- 
tion fell upon anuther dislinKuished patriot; and 
to the imperishable honor of Mr. Clay, he not 
onlv bowid with respectful submission and ac- 
(|uiescence to Ihe expressed will of the conven- 
tion, but at once bent all his energies to secure 
the election of his successful rival, exhibiting a 
niaKnanimity and patriotic disinterestedness that 
challenged the admiration even of liis opponents, 
and called forth Ihe strongest and most untiring 
exertions of his devoted friends in aid of the 
good cause of which he had ever been looked to 
as (he gallant and indomitable leader.* A cau-e 
thus sustained could not fail of success- The 
people came forth in their might; the country 
was moved to its centre : the result couid not be 
doubtful — victory crowned the efforts of those 
who sought reform. How (he country has been 
deprived of much of the fruits of that great vic- 
tory, has already been intimated ; the causes are 
too well and loo universally known to require 
repetition. 

But though disappointed and betrayed, the 
Whigs of (he United htatts aie by no means 



'Immediately after tl e nomination of Gen. Harri- 
son, by the Harri>bur^ notional convention, I saw 
>lr. Clay at Washington, and in Ihe coui8eof the 
eonversation 1 held with iiim, elated llial some of his 
friends in Philadelphia were extremely dissilisfied 
with the nomination. He asked if any one had 
evinced an unwillingness lo support liic ticket f I 
replied that a very f'W had. " 1 regret thai any one 
should hesitate a moment to support it," he said, 
"and earnestly hope they will, upon n flection, 
chnnge that determination. Sir," said he, "we 
arc in the midst of a creal struggle — one upon which, 
perhaps, the tale of the nalinn depends ; for if .Mr. 
Van Uuren is ro elected, I tirmly believe we shall 
have nothing left us but the form* of the conslilu- 
lioM, and how long wo shall be permitted lo enjoy 
even them, God only knows. 1 beg you on your re- 
turn to I'hiihde^phia, lo see the individuals you men- 
tion, and say lo ihctn from ii^e, that, were ii the last 
favor I had to ask of ihem, 1 beg of Ihcm to Fupporl 
the ticket nominated with the same Zeal and energy 
aHlliey would were I the candidate. Why. »ir. who 
is Henry Clay, ilial they should hesilalj on his ae- 
counl P An i>ld man who will soon bare passed from 
llic stage of action and l>e no more; but our prikci- 
PLF* are nternal and must be sustained, or our tepub' 
lie will soon shtiie ihe fate of all those that Lave pre- 
ceded lis. which God forbid." 

This was spoken with an enthusiasm and an elo- 
quence thai caiisfU my blood to lingle and coar«e 
with great rapidity ihroueh my veins. I relumed in 
a few days, ar.d did not oml lo convey his message 
to the persons lo whom It was sent, who Irom that 
ir.umcnl entered inlo the campaign with e.\!raor- 
liinatv earncstnr^«. 



16 



dislieartened. TliP treachery and selfishness of 
one has only served to exhibit, in bold rehef, and 
with the power of contrast, the generous, self- 
devotinjj spirit, and steady adherence to the 
great principles of republican liberty, of ano- 
ther. Instead uf siftinj^ down in despair, they 
are burnishing up their armour, and girding on 
their bucklers, for the conning contest. They 
have but one leader, lo whom they are attached 
as with hooks of steel, for he is "the life, the 
soul, the embodiment of Whig principles," and 
the beloved, devoted apostle of liborty. 
WITHDRAWS FRO.MTllE SENATE. 
Mr. Ciay withdrew from the Senate of the 
United Slates, and from public life, on the Slst 
of -March. 18-12, on which occasion he took leave 
of his compeers and fellow members of the Se- 
nate, in a speech full of nuble sentiment and 
touching pathos that moistened every eye in the 
Hall. He retireiT to his farm at .Ashland, to en- 
joy the sweets of domestic life and rural occu- 
pation. In a letter to an intimate friend, of 
course not intended for the public eye, dated 
AsHi.AND, l-2lh August, IS 12. he says, " I am 
most agreeably occupied at Ashland. I am prac- 
tising, in epitome, on my jiriiiciples of internal 
improvement and home industry. I have just 
completed a canal about a quarter of a mile in 
length. The main object is, with a fall of about 
five feet, to procure vats to water-rot hemp. I 
luean to rig the American navy." 

He is indeed the Cincinnatus of the age. Af- 
ter devoting thirty-live years of his life lo the 
service of his country, rising to the higliest pin- 
nacle of fame as an orator and a statesman ; in 
the midst of a career unrivalled fur brilliancv 
and usefulness, he voluntarily retires to the 
shades of his own Ashland, there to spend the 
remainder of his ilays, not in inactive solitude, 
but in carryin? out, to life his own languatie, his 
" principles of internal improvement and /,oj?j« 
industry.'" He delit:hts in agriculture, and is 
one of (he most practical, indu?triou8. mathe- 
matical, and succes'^ful farmers in the whole 
■ < !i'>i country. From him, loo. such men 
1. .1 -.. rt.\ ty instructed both by precept and e.\- 
:tm|>le in their own avocation. Few men have 
«lone more to improve the agriculture of the rich 
valley of the wtst, and the breed of cattle, 
horses, mules, sheep, and hogs, in that great 
section of the country, than IIe.nry Clay. In 
Ihi-^ respect he re>ifmhled the beloved " Father 
of iiis country." the :;rgjt and the good W.\sn- 
iNfjTON. who, while «• fir^t in war, fir.»l in peace, 
and first in the hearl.s of his countrymen," was 
no less first among the farmers of the land. — 
There is a pnrifyine influi-nce in the cultivation 
of the soil, that seldom fails to reach the heart 
as it does to invigorate the frame of men, and 
he who delights to till thr ground will find him- 
self not less favored than the fahlrd Anl.Tti<, to 
whom was given new strrnglh and energy as 
often as he foiichrti his mother earth 

It has been thoui:ht that had ^^^ Clay entered 
the iiiililary prolession. upon tin- breaking out of 
hostilities between this country and (ireat Bri- 
tain, in 18IQ, he would have been one of \\tt> 



most distinguished generals and warriors of the 
age. But he preferred the more useful, but ta 
him scarcely less brilliant path of a statesman 
and legislator. Few can doubt (hat had his 
brow been encircled with the laurel wreath, won 
upon the battle fields of his country, he would 
long ago have been elected to the highest office 
in the gift of the people. • 
IS NOW AGAIN BF.FORE THE PEOPLE. 

Since 1S24, no public man has been more de- 
famed, vilified, misrepresented, and traduced. 
The poisoned shafts of malice and detraction 
have been hurled at him, and his hard earned 
fame assailed with the bitterest calumnies; but 
he has still kept his onward way in the path oC 
duty, serving his beloved country with untiring 
zeal, and confulently waiting for the hour vvhen 
the light of truth should dispel the black clouds 
of falsehood that had been heaped upon his 
name, and his fellow-citizens should be con- 
vinced of the injustice they have done him — 
That broad, powerful light is now driving before 
it the mists and clouds of prejudice, and the 
name of Hf.nt.v Clay already glisten in its rays, 
and stands forth brighter and more glorious than 
ever. That he is destined to fill the highest of- 
fice which a grateful peo[iIe can bestow upon 
him, there can scarcely be a doubt ; but this re- 
w.ird, 90 long due and so long delayed, will not 
confer more honor upon him than upon (hose 
who bestow it. The people of the United States 
owe it to themselves to perform this act of jus- 
tice; justice to him and justice to the country. 

Ill this brief and imperfect outlin*^ of the life 
of Mr. Clay, I have attempted no labored pane- 
gyric, for he needs none. His name is interwo- 
ven with some of proudest records of American 
history, and stands forth in Doric strength and 
simplicity upon many of its brightest pages — 
When these shall be blotted out by the hand of 
oblivion ; when the events of the last war with 
Great Britain shall have been forgotten, and the 
noble struggles to break the galling bonds of ser- 
vitude, by the patriots sf South America and thr 
heroes of Greece slull no longer be remember- 
ed, then will the name of Hkniiv Clay cease to 
rai.-^e a thrill of emotion in the American bosom, 
and the recollection of his high-souled and self- 
.sacrillcing patriotism, his eminent and constant 
devotion to his country, his manly and .""ervid elo- 
quence, excite no throb of pride in the heart of 
his countrymen. But till ihen, that nanie shall 
stand emblazoned in letters of gold upon the es- 
cutcheon of Fame, the watchword of Liberty, the 
iii'])iring signal to millions of freemen who rally 
under it to su.stain our '• odr cocntkv, ocr 

INIO.S, AM) Ol'K CONSTITITIO.N." 



• During llio war il was al one lime contomplated 
bv Mr Modison lo appoint Mr. Clay commander-in- 
cliief of tlio Ainerican army, and Ihe project was 
ppokon of ill ilio Cabinet ; Iml Mr. Madisone reluc- 
Innco to Mr Clay's leaving (ongrcps, fwhere he was 
tlicii exorcising his Ingli lalenls and putriolisni for 
llio good of the counlry,) coincided with .Mr- Clay 9 
own wishes to remain al hm post, and Bn'>iher was 
tliorefure npjKiiiilod. 



Piintnl nl lie DJftre of the " Amebicaw Whig." Uallimnre, ^^d., 6y Samt'iel Santas — /'/I'c, 
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